Stories and news from our lives and work in Nine Elms
An evening of festive community fun is planned for the launch of Battersea Park Community Choir on 11th December, including the 11th Advent Calendar Window Reveal. This year's theme for the Advent Windows is Christmas Carols – a perfect opportunity for the Choir to put on a show for the public and sing the mystery carol.
This is what the Lord says:
“A sound was heard in Ramah.
It was painful crying and much sadness.
Rachel cries for her children.
And she cannot be comforted,
because her children are dead!”
Jeremiah 31:15
Violence rose by 20% in this last year and not just in London. Causes are complex but poverty, mental health, government spending and social exclusion all contribute.
Sophie Linden (Deputy Mayor for Crime and Policing) thanked us as Churches for the work we are doing with the families affected by murder.
Revd Les Isaacs OBE (founder of Street Pastors) commented that one of their key successes is removing weapons from the streets. We as Church are good at social justice, yet 119 people lost their lives this year.
Last week I went into a meeting at The Venue, with an empty shopping bag. At 1pm every Wednesday food that would otherwise go to landfill is distributed to anyone who comes.
But there was no food.
Waste Not Want Not was started by Hadas on the Doddington and Rollo Estate. She relies on a volunteer driver to go with her to the New Covent Garden market at 6.30 am to pick up surplus fruit and vegetables. The volunteer was ill and couldn’t go.
I have a car, should I volunteer or not? People were relying on the food being there so I delayed my meeting and went for my car.
End result? I felt encouraged and it was fun!
Waste Not Want Not is the first project in Battersea which collects surplus food from nearby markets and distributes it through local community and youth centres. Find out more here: https://do-it.org/organisations/waste-not-want-not-battersea
On 20th October nearly 30 artists and creatives gathered at St George’s Church for a morning exploring how arts and creativity can enhance worship, support social justice initiatives and increase community flourishing.